Summary

Known for its provocative and engaging issues approach and topical organization, AMERICA AT ODDS explores the current conflicts that truly define America as a nation while involving students in discussion and debate. The engaging content and pedagogical features throughout AMERICA AT ODDS support two main goals of the text: to make students genuinely passionate about learning the ins and outs of American politics and government, and to encourage them to think about the ways their lives are affected by decisions made in the political arena. In every chapter of the text, the foundations and systems of political history, behavior, institutions, and policy are presented within the framework of issues oriented debate, making AMERICA AT ODDS truly unique as an approach to teaching the Introduction to American Government course.

Table of Contents

PART one The Foundations of Our American System

America in the Twenty-First Century

1

(18)

America at Odds: Do Students Care about Politics and Government?

2

(17)

The Constitution

19

(32)

America at Odds: Would a Direct Democracy Be Better?

20

(31)

Federalism

51

(26)

America at Odds: Should the States Take Orders from the National Government?

54

(23)

PART two Our Liberties and Rights

Civil Liberties

77

(28)

America at Odds: Should Hate Speech on the WebBe Banned?

78

(27)

Civil Rights

105

(28)

America at Odds: Should Felons Be Permanently Disenfranchised?

106

(27)

PART three The Politics of Democracy

Political Culture and Ideology

133

(20)

America at Odds: Should Bilingual Education Be Abolished?

134

(19)

Interest Groups

153

(24)

America at Odds: Gun Control: Do We Need and Armed Citizenry?

154

(23)

Political Parties

177

(22)

America at Odds: Should We Have a Multiparty System?

178

(21)

Public Opinion and Voting

199

(24)

America at Odds: Is Low Voter Turnout Really a Problem?

200

(23)

Campaigns and Elections

223

(24)

America at Odds: Should the Electoral College Be Abolished?

224

(23)

Politics and the Media

247

(22)

America at Odds: Should the Media Keep Silent Until the Polls Are Closed?

248

(21)

PART four Institutions

Congress

269

(26)

America at Odds: Is Divided Government Necessarily a Bad Thing?

270

(25)

The Presidency

295

(26)

America at Odds: Is the Presidency Worth the Cost?

296

(25)

The Bureaucracy

321

(24)

America at Odds: Should the Food and Drug Administration Regulate Tobacco?